Ratchet-wrench.



l BATGHBT WRENCH. APPLIoATroIrILnD un. 14. 1909.

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' Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

JOI-INKNOWLEfOF NEW BRITAIN', CONNECTICUT.

RATCI-IET-WRENCI-I.

i. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 0G13. 12, 1909.

Application filed January 14, 1909. Serial No. 472,247.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KNowLEs,'a citizen of the United States,residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented ycertain new and useful Improvements f inRatchet- Wrenches, of whichV the following is a specification. j

My invention relates to improvements in ratchet wrenches and the objectsof my improvements are simplicity and economy in construction andeiiiciency and reliability in use.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my wrenchpartly in central vertical section. Fig. 2 isa plan view of my wrench,with cap, nut and washer omitted and part of handle broken away. Fig. 3is a bottom view of a modication. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of thesame on the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa plan view showing anothermodification. Fig. 6 is a broken out horizontal section of the 'headwith other parts in `plan view, of another modication. Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of the body member of my wrench.

My wrench is adapted to turn a nut either right or left, whether fortightening or loosening, by simply reciprocatingly operating a handlecontinually in one planeV and to do this without the employmentl of anyrelatively moving parts in the mechanism of my wrench other than thebody member which turns with the nut, all as will be hereinafterdescribed. Y

7 is the body member, having a ratchet wheel 9, a socket 8, in the lowerpart 'to receive the nut or piece to be turned, and a bearing stud 12 atthe top having'a thread at the upper end. I prefer to have the socket 8ft the nut or piece to be turned and have individual body members foreach size of nut, although an additional member may be employed for eachsize nut, having a socket to fit the nut and a head to lit the socketAin the body member. The head 13 is formed integral with the shank 19and the handle l11, and is provided with a double ended bearing slot 16preferably of heart shape with a central projection 23 on the sidetoward the shank 19and a circular recess on each side of said projection23, toreceive the bearing stud 12 on the body member'7, in either ofitstwo bearing positions. Fixed pawls 10 are rigidly mounted on theshank 19 and are preferably made in one piece with a tongue 24 by whichthey are attached to the shank 19 in any proper manner, as for exampleby a screw 17 and pin 18 integral with the shank 19, tting in a hole insaid tongue 24, as shown in Fig. 1. The body member 7 is removably androtatively mounted in the head 13 by means of any ordinary securingdevices as for example, the bearing stud 12, in the bearing slot and awasher 14 and a cap 15 on the outer end of the said stud, as shown inFig. 1. The dimensions and adjustment of the slot 16,

pawls 10, and ratchet wheel 9, are such that when the stud 12 is locatedat either one of the extreme positions in the bearing slot 16 in one ofthe recesses at either side of the central projection 23, the pawl 10 onthe same side of the shank 19 engages the ratchet wheel 9 and the otherpawl 10 will clear and be free from said ratchet wheel 9, so that whenrotative motion is applied to the handle 11 one or the other of the saidpawls 10 will engage with a tooth of said ratchet wheel 9 so as to applycorresponding rotative motion to the body member.

A modification is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in the method of attaching thepawls 10 to the shank 19. A groove is provided in the said shank 19a toreceive the modified tongue 24a.

Fig. 5 shows the head 13a form of slot 16EL in which the centralprojection 23 of the preceding gures is omitted, furnishing the sameamount of lateral movement for the head for engaging and disenwith amodified gaglng the pawls 10 from the ratchet wheel 9, and alsofurnishing the two dierent bearings for the stud 12 when the implementis used for either a right or a left hand wrench.

Fig. 6 shows another modification in which the general form ofbearingslot 16 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is employed and in connection therewithIl employ a longitudinally sliding friction pin 20, projection 23, thesaid pin tted in a suitable recess or chamber and yieldingly forcedtoward the projection 23 by means of a spiral spring 21, which isconfined therein by means of a screw cap or plug 22. This friction pin20 will allow a limited degree of lateral movement of the bearing 'stud12 for disengaging the ratchet wheel 9 from the pawls 10, while it willcreate some friction tending to prevent the bearing stud 12 fromaccidentally moving from one end of the slot 16 to the other, at thesame time it will yield directly opposite the central` so that thebearing stud l2 can be readily moved to the other end .the slot 1.6 byapplying sufficient torce. Although the construction shown in Fig. (3 isdesignated .as a modification, it is essentially the same construction.with the introduction ot t,the said friction pin 2O as an additionalfeature.

The operation is as "follows: Wlhen the handle l1 is reciprocated in theordinary manner as .With ratchet wrenches, the motion in one directionfor .turning the nut and. in the .other to recover for a repetition otthe turning movement, the turning .movement .causes the stud l2 to glidealong .the walls ot `the .slot 16 into .the recess on the side of thecentral projection 23 corresponding to the Ydirection ot the movementand the pawl l() onthe same side to engage with a tooth 9 Aot theratchet Wheel for imparting corresponding rotative motion to the bodypart 7. .On the reverse movement oit' the handle the body 'member moveslaterally a short distance in the bearing slot .of the head to.disengage the paivl :from the teeth of the ratchet Wheel and permit thesaid pavvl to draw back over the said teeth ready to rengage the saidteeth as soon `as .the handle is again moved for- Aivard and so onrepeatedly.

Although I have called the implement herein shown and described aratchet Wrench, it is obvious that my said improvement is applicable .toanalogous ratchet implements.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a ratchet implement, a body member carrying a ratchet Wheel, and abearing stud projecting from one side of said ratchet Wheel, a headhaving a transverse slot eX- tending vertically therethrough, a shankconnecting said head With a handle, and a pavvl iXedly mountedrelatively to said head, the said head being mounted on said bearingstud With the stud having a lateral movement therein at right angles tothe axis of the said ratchet Wheel 'tor engaging and disengaging thepaWl and ratchet Wheel.

2. In a ratchet implementa body member .carrying a ratchet Wheel and abearing stud projecting from one side of said ratchet Wheel, atransversely slotted head having a shank and handle that is rigidtherewith,

and a pair ot paivls tixedly mounted relatively to said head oppositethe two sides ot' the said ratchet Wheel, the said slotted head beingmounted on said bearing stud and the stud having a slight lateralmovement in said slotted head tor engaging and disengaging said paWlsand a further lateral and limited movement therein for carrying the saidstud from its position tor a right hand implement into its position fora letthand implement.

3. In a ratchet implement, having a body member provided With a ratchetwheel and b earing stud, and an integral transversely slotted head,shank and handle, said head mounted on said bearing stud so that thestud has a limited lateral movement 1n said head, a pair ot pawlsfixedly mounted relatively `to said head for reversibly engaging saidratchet Wheel.

4. A ratchet Wrench, comprising an integral socket, ratchet wheel, andbearing stud and an integral transversely slotted head, shank and handleand paivls, and means for removably mounting said head on said bearingstud so that said stud has a limited lateral movement ,in said head ,torreversibly engaging and disengaging the paivls and ratchet Wheel.

5. A reversible ratchet implement com prising .a body member, a ratchetWheel and concentric bearing stud rigidly carried on said body member, areciprocating head having a handle and a bearing .slot extendedlaterally to the length of the said handle, Within which slot the studof the said body memberisloosely confined, and arightand left hand paivlrespectively on opposite sides of the said ratchet Wheel and tixedlymounted relatively to the said head, the said bearing slot having acentral projection on one side to assist in holding the said stud at therespective ends of the said slot for a right or left handed implement.

6. A reversible ratchet implement, comprising a body member, a ratchetwheel `and vconcentric bearing stud rigidly carried on said body member,a reciprocating head having a handle and a bearing slot extendedlaterally to the length of the said handle, Within which slot the studof the said body member is loosely conlined, a right and left hand pawlon the respective opposite sides .of said ratchet Wheel fixedly mountedrelatively to the said head, the said bearing slot having a yieldingsliding pin projecting centrally into the said bearing slot at one sideto assist in holding the said stud at the respective ends of the saidslot for a right or left handed implement.

7. A reversible ratchet implement, comprising a body member, a ratchetWheel and concentric bearing stud rigidly carried on said body member, areciprocating head having a handle and a bearing slot extended laterallyto the length ot the said handle, Within which slot the stud of the saidbody member is loosely confined, a right. and lett hand pavvl on therespective opposite sides of said ratchet Wheel ixedly mountedrelatively to the said head, the said bearing slot having a rigidcentral projection onthat side of the said bearing slot that is nearestthe handle and a yieldingly mounted friction device projecting into thesaid slot on the opposite side thereof, the said rigid and yieldingprojections servinoV to hold the said bearing stud against accidentalmovement from end to end of the said slot.

8. In a ratchet implement, comprising a body member and ratchet Wheel, alaterally slotted head, having a rigid shank and handle, and a pair ofpavvls formed in one piece With a central tongue for being rigidly andremovably secured to the said shank 'With the pavvls fixed on therespective opposite sides of the said ratchet Wheel.

9. In a ratchet implement, comprising a body member, and ratchet Wheel,a laterally slotted head, having a rigid shank and handle, a pair ofpavvls formed in one piece with a central tongue for being rigidly andremovably secured to the said shank With the pavvls Xed on therespective opposite sides of the said ratchet Wheel, and a screw 'forremovably securing the said p'avvls to the said shank, the said pavvlsand shank having also the one an opening and the other an integralinterlocking projection received in the said opening to additionallyhold the pavvls on the shank and permit them to be removed by theremoval of only the one screw.

l0. A ratchet combination by Which rotary motion is effected byreciprocatingly operating a handle in one plane, said combinationcomprising a body member carrying a ratchet Wheel and a bearing stud, aslotted head, shank, handle, and pavvls fixedly .mounted relatively tosaid head, the said head being mounted on said bearing stud With thestud having a limited lateral movement in the said head, for engagingand disengaging the pavvls and the ratchet Wheel. JOHN KNOW/LES.Witnesses:

JAMES SHEPARD, LOUIS M. SCHMIDT.

